Introduction to the Malta Mediterranean Film Festival
The Malta Mediterranean Film Festival is set to take place from June 21st to 29th, featuring a diverse range of films and events. This year’s festival will include 28 features, with 10 films in the main competition, 12 competitive titles, and six films in the environment-oriented Mare Nostrum department.
Honorary Award and Master Class
The festival will honor British producer Jeremy Thomas with the Golden Bee Lifetime Achievement Award. Thomas will also participate in a master class discussion with the CEO of Film London, Adrian Wotton. Other participants in the Master Class program include directors Joe Carahhan and Catherine Hardwick, production designer Rick Carter, Amazon Original Movies Head of Physical Production Glenn Gainor, and composer Martin Phipps.
Festival Location and Theme
The festival will take place in the Maltese capital Valletta, with the master class and event program held at the 400-year-old Fort Ricasoli, and the award ceremony on Manoel Island. This year’s theme is "We Are Film," and the festival will also celebrate 100 years of filmmaking in Malta, since the Mediterranean island was the location of its first feature film, H. Bruce Woolfe’s "Sons of the sea."
Films in Competition
The main competition will feature films such as Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s "Hot Milk," starring Emma Mackey, Vicky Krieps, and Fiona Shaw, which had its world premiere in Berlin. Other Berlin titles that will play in Malta include Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani’s "Reflection in a Dead Diamond" in the Mediterranean competition, and Ira Sachs’ "Peter Hujar’s Day" outside of the competition.
Mare Nostrum Selection
The Mare Nostrum department will feature films such as Sandra Winther’s "Lowland Children," which debuted at CPH:DOX, and Robin Petre’s Berlinale Generation title "Only on Earth."
Out of Competition Titles
Titles outside of the competition include a sidebar that celebrates emerging Italian filmmakers, with titles like Giulia Louise Steigerwalt’s Venice 2024 title "Future Diva." Other out-of-competition titles include James Griffiths’ "The Ballad of Valais Island" and Andrew Ahn’s "The Wedding Banquet."
Festival Team and Juries
The festival will be headed by a new creative team, including festival director Ray Calleja and festival curator Mark Adams. The competitive jurors for the 2025 edition include production designer Rick Carter, director Catherine Hardwicke, and costume designer Charlese Antoinette. The Mare Nostrum jury will be headed by the artistic director of the Dublin Film Festival, Grainne Humphreys, and the senior programmer from Sundance Film Festival, Ania Trzebiatowska.
Main Competition Titles
- "The Return" (IT-GR-UK-FR) Dir. Uberto Pasolini
- "Hot Milk" (UK-GR) Dir. Rebecca Lenkiewicz
- "Out of Love of a Woman" (ES) Dir. Guido Chiesa
- "Harvest" (UK-US-LB-FR) Dir. Athina Rachel Tsangari
- "The Theft of the Caravaggio" (MT) Dir. Joshua Cassar Gaspar
- "Where the Wind Comes From" (Tun-FR) Dir. Amel Gropaty
- "Fiume Death!" (Cro) Dir. Igor Bezinovic
- "The Wound" (DEAF) Dir. Seula El Gouni
- "Reflection in a Dead Diamond" (Bel-Lux-FR) Dir. Helene Cattet, Bruno Forzani
- "8" (SP-Pan) Dir. Julio Medem
Out of Competition Titles
- "Peter Hujar’s Day" (US-GER) Dir. Ira Sachs
- "Obligation" (UK-US) Dir. Neil Marshall
- "Four Love Letters" (UK) Dir. Polly Steele
- "Time Travel is Dangerous" (UK) Dir. Chris Reading
- "The Extraordinary Misadventures" (UK) Dir. Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard
- "The Wedding Banquet" (US) Dir. Andrew Ahn
- "Future Diva" (ES) Dir. Giulia Louise Steigerwalt
- "Gloria!" (IT-SWE) Dir. Margherita Vicario
- "Love and Fame – The Young Deledda" (ES) Dir. Maria Grazia Perria
- "The Ballad of Valais Island" (UK-US) Dir. James Griffiths
Mare Nostrum Titles
- "How Deep Is Your Love" (UK-US) Dir. Eleanor Mortimer
- "Tranazonie" (FR-Tun) Dir. Pia Marais
- "Black Butterflies" (SP) Dir. David Trueba
- "Miyazaki: Spirit of Nature" (FR) Dir. Leo Metz
- "Only on Earth" (DE-SP) Dir. Robin Petre
- "Lowland Children" (US-UK) Dir. Sandra Winther
